Bryce Miller Throwing Again: Mariners Pitcher Shows Real Progress in Oblique Recovery
The good news keeps coming for Bryce Miller. The Mariners pitcher took the mound in Peoria on Tuesday and threw around 30 pitches, including his entire arsenal of breaking pitches, in what amounts to a meaningful step forward in his injury rehab. After a setback just six days prior when a sore left oblique forced him to bail on a bullpen session early, seeing Miller progress like this is exactly what the club needed heading into the season.
Everything Felt Good This Time
Miller himself said it best after Tuesday's work: "Everything felt really good." That's a far cry from where he stood last week when the oblique issue cut short what should have been a full session. The pitcher threw at around 80% effort, finishing his bullpen with some pitches using a lighter 4-ounce baseball to keep his arm speed up without forcing extra strain on the injury site. "These, they're boring for me because I'm just flipping it in there," Miller said about the easier throws. His plan is straightforward: repeat the routine three days from now at 90% effort, then potentially get into a full-effort bullpen early next week if everything continues going well.
Still Likely Missing Opening Day
Here's the reality though: Miller will almost certainly start the 2026 season out of the rotation and probably on the injured list. He's simply running out of time to build back up before opening day arrives. But that's actually okay for Seattle right now. Manager Dan Wilson noted that the club has some depth with spring performances from Emerson Hancock and Cooper Criswell potentially allowing one or both to fill the void while Miller continues his recovery. In the most optimistic scenario with no setbacks, Miller might see hitters around the end of next week when the Mariners open at home against the Guardians, though his pitch count will need to build gradually from there before he's truly game-ready. "It's just a matter of seeing that strength continuing to come back," Wilson said.
For Miller, the goal is clear: he wants a max-effort bullpen where he's "ripping everything" without any concern about re-tweaking the oblique before stepping in against actual hitters. "Hopefully that's a week or less away," he said.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.